LEE Hunt's ninth goal in eight matches clinched an outstanding win for Rhyl at Richmond Park which lifted them up to second in the WPL.

The victory would have been more emphatic had Marc Limbert not missed a second half penalty, but Lilywhites boss John Hulse was delighted with three points secured in quagmire conditions.

"It was a great battle between two good sides and it was a great result, coming here and getting a win," he said.

"We missed a penalty, hit the bar and had a perfectly good goal disallowed so we could have ended up 3 or 4-0 winners, but fair play to Carmarthen, they played their part in a great game in very difficult conditions which for neutrals must have been excellent to watch. Not many teams will come here and get anything this season."

Hulse was furious at the referee's decision to rule out Chris Adamson's second half goal, when it appeared the ex-Newtown man had simply got ahead of his marker to score with a glancing header.

The manager was further angered by the fact Town's Gary Lloyd was not punished for a series of bad fouls yet Rhyl had a couple of players booked for lesser offences.

"Not one person I've spoken to can understand why that goal was disallowed, none of Carmarthen's players appealed for anything and were turning towards the centre circle when the ball went in."

On a happier note, Hulse paid tribute to the Rhyl fans who made the long journey to South Wales in horrendous weather.

"For so many of them to have travelled all that way in awful weather showed tremendous loyalty, they were magnificent."

Wind ruined last season's clash at Carmarthen

between these sides, which ended 0-0, but on Saturday heavy rain made the going ultra tough.

Rhyl went close early on when Lee Atherton's free-kick from his own half was flicked on by Limbert and Chris McGinn's classic right foot volley bounced back off the underside of the bar.

Greg Stones then forced a fine save from home keeper Tony Pennock with a close range header following a Limbert corner.

The deadlock was broken on 27 minutes when McGinn controlled superbly with his back to goal, moved down the right and slipped the ball to Mark Powell whose first time cross into the box was headed home by the diving Hunt.

Early in the second half Town should have equalised when Atherton and Stones failed to deal with a long through ball, leaving Chris Summers in the clear, but Smith produced a superb point blank save.

Rhyl then had a goal mysteriously ruled out. Stones' centre from the left was brilliantly headed home by Adamson but referee Cavanagh for some reason decided an infringement had taken place.

Justice appeared to have been done when the Lilies won a penalty after McGinn slipped a neat pass to Adamson who was brought down by Richard Carter inside the box.

Unfortunately for the champions, the normally reliable Limbert's spot-kick flew wide of the target.

Late pressure from Carmarthen threatened the away lead, but Rhyl defended heroically and held on for a memorable win.